Edmund received a summons to gather his tenants, but he found that these no longer replied willingly to the call.

Several of his chief men met him and represented to him the general feeling which prevailed.
"The men say," their spokesman explained, "that it is useless to fight against the Danes.

In 872 there were ten pitched battles, and vast numbers of the Danes were slain, and vast numbers also of Saxons.

The Danes are already far more numerous than before, for fresh hordes continue to arrive on the shores, and more than fill up the places of those who are killed; but the places of the Saxons are empty, and our fighting force is far smaller than it was last year.

If we again go out and again fight many battles, even if we are victorious, which we can hardly hope to be, the same thing will happen.